something to note is that all jjajangmyeon is made different. and what great is you can put almost anything in it.
but I like to keep mine fairly simple.

1 pack of fresh korean noodles (find at HMart)
2/3 cup korean black bean paste
1lb of pork belly/shoulder/any fatty pork cut
1~ 1 1/2 cup of white onion, roughly chopped
2tbsp+ corn/potato/tapioca starch


1/3 cup peeled white potato, 1cm cubes
1/3 large dikon radish (~1 cup), 1cm cubes
1/3 cup korean zucchini, 1cm cubes
1/4 cup chives, finely cut
1/2 a leak cut into thin half-circles
1tbs ginger, cut into thin ~3cm strips
1/3 cup sliced shiitake or button mushrooms
1/3 cup of thinly julienned cucumbers for plating
1tbsp sugar (light brown ideally)
some MSG for flavor.
a bit of soy sauce for the pork
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce


1 . in a pan, add 1/3 cup of neutral oil and fry your black bean paste. stirring constantly. cook for around 3 mins.
2. take the paste and oil off of the heat and store in a food grade container
3. Add your pork to a hot pan or wok and add 2tbsp of the oil used to fry your bean paste
4. Once browned, add ginger and & 1tbsp low sodium soy sauce to your pork
5. Add in your vegetables
6. after a couple minute or so, add your aromatics and stir-fry.
7. add in your MSG, oyster sauce, and sugar at this point after your veggies and aromatics should have some colour on them.
8. add your bean paste to your desired constancy. (Note: this will be much thicker than the final product)
9. after integrated, add ~2 cups water to your mix. Cover and let simmer, stirring on occasion.
10. make and add your cornstarch in a slurry. taste after thickening for sugar, as it may be a bit salty. (add 1tsp at a time, if so).
11. Cook your fresh noodles for a couple minutes and than shock with cold water (this trick is popular with udon noodles and makes them much chewier.
12a. Either: plate your noodles and top with the warm jjajang sauce and garnish with cucumber,
12b. Or: add the noodles to the jjajang pan and stir-fry. top with garnish.
(OPTIONAL): I like my jjajangmyeon a little spicy, so I add some buldak sauce from samyang. A little goes a long way.
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Note: you will have a LOT of leftovers if youre eating alone. this can feed you for upwards of 3 dinners if you eat medium portions. You’ll also have leftover fried beanpaste. I dont really know what to do with it other than make more jjajangmyeon or jjajangbap, but a little bit to something like a buddah bowl can add some earthy flavor. especially if you marinate it with some bean sprouts.